Education in Nigeria: The Impact of Bad Politics and a Blueprint for Progress

The challenges facing education in Nigeria, their underlying links with politics and possible ways to address them were discussed by education experts at a popular lecture. Emeritus Professor Pai Obanya, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, spoke about his country’s potential and suggested political solutions, including electoral reforms and the end of overcentralisation. His presentation at the event at LIDC on 27 January was the third annual lecture organised by the Consortium for Research on Educational Access, Transitions and Equity (CREATE).

Difficulties and background
Obanya highlighted how politics and education policy influence each other through a continuous process which has failed the education sector, particularly in the last decade. He listed the country’s current problems including its low standing in the Corruption Perception Index, adult illiteracy of 28 per cent, and the lack of university places – only one-fifth of applicants receive a place. Obanya described how recent political instability has led to inconsistent policies due to a rapid turnover of education ministers with different interests, from supporting Universal Basic Education (UBE) to developing the National Open University. The proliferation of private universities, making up 30 per cent of the total, was also mentioned as this does not broaden access to education for the poorest. The lecture also provided an historical dimension to his analysis, showing how regions' British colonial policies favoured indirect rule and capitalised on existing social structures, and how regions and their schooling developed differently (Christian communities in the South and Islamic communities in the North). Nigeria celebrates its fiftieth anniversary of independence this year.

Recommendations
Obanya suggested a list of